IT’S advantage Poole after the opening leg of the Premiership Grand Final on Monday – but King’s Lynn team manager Dale Allitt insists his side are more than capable of retrieving a 16-point deficit in Wednesday night’s second leg.

The Pirates started the opening leg at Wimborne Road in devastating fashion with four 5-1s. But the Stars hit back in mid-match, only for Poole to regain the initiative in the closing stages after Lynn lost Michael Palm Toft to a wrist injury.Lynn boss Allitt said afterwards: “It was a very tough night but we can still do it. Some of the decisions were hard on us I felt but the referee is always going to upset one side and not the other.“The biggest worry is the injury to Michael Palm Toft who has a wrist knock and will need an X-ray. But we can hit Poole hard and early at the Adrian Flux Arena on Wednesday night like they did to us. We can still do it.” Poole promoter Matt Ford said: “The way we started the meeting was exactly what I had hoped for. King’s Lynn really are an excellent side, even without Niels-Kristian Iversen, and I knew we needed to get out of the blocks fast to build up a lead.“Even though they came back well in the middle of the meeting, Richie and Frederik’s ride in Heat 14 was timed perfectly and I think knocked the wind out of their sails once more.“But we knew how good they are at home and we’ll need to put in the same level of performance if we are to win this title. Sixteen points is a great lead, but they will be up for turning that around, make no mistake.”PICTURE: Josh Grajczonek leads from Robert Lambert during Monday's first leg. Picture: DAVE FAIRBROTHER

• READ all the reaction from the first leg in this week’s Speedway Star – on sale Thursday. And coverage of the second leg will feature in this week’s edition of Speedway Xtra, our free online magazine accessible via our website.